Princess Astrid of Norway has died just two days after the funeral of her younger brother, King Harald.
The princess, who was 94, passed away exactly a fortnight after her brother. She had been unwell earlier this year and had wound down her public engagements following a spell in hospital.
Her death was announced by King Haakon VIII.
Princess Astrid, who was first lady of Norway during the early years of the reign of her father, Olav V, was last seen at the funeral service of Harald V at Oslo Cathedral on September 9.
Astrid Maud Ingeborg was born on February 12 1932 in Oslo, the second child and second daughter of Olav and his wife, Martha, who were then Crown Prince and Princess of Norway. She was a great granddaughter of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra and only the second member of Norway’s new royal family to be born since the creation of the new monarchy.
Princess Astrid was never in the line of succession to the Norwegian throne as women were not allowed to succeed until the late 20th century. The birth of her younger brother, Harald, when she was five, secured the succession.
During World War Two and the Nazi occupation of Norway, Astrid went into exile in the US with her mother, Crown Princess Martha, and her siblings, Harald, and their eldest sister, Princess Raghnhild.
The family returned to Norway in 1945 when Astrid was 13 and she continued her education and going on to Oxford where she read economics and political history.
In 1954, Crown Princess Martha died. Three years later, Astrid’s father became King Olav V and she took on the role of first lady of Norway as Raghnhild had already married and was living overseas.
However, despite her popularity, Astrid encountered controversy when she herself decided to marry. Her husband to be, Johan Martin Ferner, was a commoner and had also been married before. Astrid was determined to go ahead and the two married in January 1961 at Asker church. They would go on to have five children.
Princess Astrid took on a wide range of engagements for Norway’s royals and also stepped aside as first lady when her brother, Harald, married Sonja Haraldsen in 1968. However, she maintained a busy diary of engagements and was still working up until her death.
Her place at the heart of Norway’s royal family was always crucial and she was a regular at major events including State Visits. Despite the controversies of recent years that engulfed the family, Astrid remained loyal and was devoted to her younger brother throughout his reign.
His loss clearly hit her hard and days before his funeral, she was seen mourning at his coffin in a poignant image that would prove to be the last official photo shared of her. She attended his funeral and then retired to her own home.
Her death was announced on September 11.
She is survived by her five children as well as grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Princess Astrid, Mrs Ferner, 1932 – 2026
